The Effect of Watching a Television Show on the Liking of Snack Foods

The objective of this investigation is to investigate the effect of television shows with
commercials perceived as advertising healthy foods and television shows with commercials
perceived as advertising unhealthy foods on the intake of either perceived healthy snack
foods or perceived unhealthy snack foods in normal weight, dietary restrained females.

Forty-eight women will participate in this study and will be randomized to one of six
conditions where they will be exposed to a 30-minute television show (Saturday Night Live)
during which they will be given two different pre-measured snack foods to eat. The television
show will have eight commercials imbedded within it. Of the eight commercials, five
commercials will represent the study condition (five advertising healthy food, five
advertising unhealthy food, or five non-food related commercials). The three additional
commercials will advertise neutral products (banks) and will remain the same in each
condition. Snack foods being used in this investigation are red grapes and baby carrots for
the perceived healthy snack foods; and chocolate chip cookies and potato chips for the
perceived unhealthy snack foods. The television commercials representing the unhealthy
category include commercials advertising M&M's candies, Oreo cookies, Cheez-it crackers, 3
Musketeers chocolate bars, and Doritos chips. The television commercials representing the
healthy category include commercials advertising Fiber One bars, Honey Bunches of Oats
cereal, Nature's Path granola, Nestle fruit yogurt, and Musselman's apple sauce. The non-food
related television commercials include commercials advertising All-State car insurance, Geico
car insurance, State Farm car insurance, Travelers car insurance, and Liberty Mutual car
insurance. The three neutral non-food related commercials that will remain the same in each
condition are commercials advertising Fifth Third bank, Ally bank, and Capital One bank.

The specific aims and hypotheses are:

1. Women exposed to a television show with commercials imbedded advertising food will
consume more food than women exposed to a television show with non-food related
commercials.

2. Women will consume more food when exposed to a television show with commercials
advertising "unhealthy" food as compared to a television show with commercials
advertising "healthy" food.

3. Women will consume the most food when exposed to a television show with "unhealthy" food
commercials and have "unhealthy" snack foods available to consume.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Age between 18 and 30 years

- have a body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2

- Be a restrained eater (scoring >12 on Three Factor Eating Questionnaire

- Report being a non-smoker

- Perceive foods and commercials used in the study as appropriately classified in the
study.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Currently dieting for weight loss

- Currently taking any medications that affect appetite or food intake

- Have a medical condition affecting eating or are currently following a therapeutic
diet

- Report disliking foods used in the investigation

- Report having allergies to foods used in the investigation